Thousands of high school students will attend Science Exploration Day during UB’s spring break

“It is exciting to see how much cutting-edge science is going on in many locations around Western New York.”

Rodney Doran, learning and instruction professor emeritus

University at Buffalo

BUFFALO, N.Y. – Science Exploration Day, the University at
Buffalo’s annual kid-friendly, offbeat, science-education
bash designed to catch the eyes and imaginations of the most
promising high school science minds in the area, returns to the
North (Amherst) Campus

When: Students register 9:15 a.m., Wednesday, March 19.
The three sessions conclude at 1:05 p.m.

What: Photo opportunities abound as hundreds of the
area’s best STEM-driven high school students gather at
UB during their spring break and watch innovative science exhibits,
both new and Science Exploration Day traditions.

Best Bets: The familiar frozen bananas always attract a
crowd. But the unapologetic “gross anatomy” class is
sure to elicit reactions. Traffic-controlling teachers in lower
Capen can direct visitors to the more exotic attractions.

Why: This is the 28th time students will travel as far as
two hours each way for an up-close-and-personal experience with
weird science research. Besides cryogenically frozen fruit and
roses, the attention-attracting exhibits include exotic bugs,
visits to the UB Earthquake Simulation Laboratory, a driving
simulator and the opportunity to crawl inside a portable STAR LAB
planetarium.

“It is exciting to see how much cutting-edge science is
going on in many locations around Western New York,” says
Rodney Doran, professor emeritus in the Department of Learning and
Instruction in UB’s Graduate School of Education, who has
been on the organizing committee since the event began in the
mid-1980s.

“Science Exploration Day is a great showcase for all of
this and especially the faculty, programs and departments here at
UB.”

This year’s offbeat science presentations also include the
science behind testing drinking water; visits to electrical
engineering, biology, chemistry, geology and physics laboratories;
a presentation on sexually transmitted diseases called “The
Gift That Keeps Giving”’; and small group
presentations, including “What Will Be Our Next Big Advance
in Cancer Treatment,” “Colorful Coral Reefs,”
“Luminol: Shedding Light on Crime” and
“Investigating ‘Paranormal’ Mysteries.

“Science Exploration Day consists of a keynote speaker,
tours of research labs in the science and engineering departments,
as well as small and large sessions, presented by scientists and
engineers from local colleges, industries and government
agencies,” says Doran.

“They get to see, hear and feel science from local
practicing professionals in the always-critical STEM (science,
technology, engineering and mathematics) field.”

This year’s keynote speaker is Bill Owens, engineer for
PRAXAIR Inc., who reprises his popular demonstration “The
Cold, Cold World of Cryogenics.” Owen’s presentation
dramatically shows students how temperatures change the properties
and behaviors of common items, like roses and bananas.

Science Exploration Day is organized by a group of a dozen
science teachers, professors and administrators from local schools
and colleges. This year, the event honors Wayne Gall with the 2014
Science Exploration Day Distinguished Service Award. Gall is known
as one of the most dedicated presenters, always willing to organize
another show for the students related to his field of entomology,
or what he calls “critters,” such as ticks, mosquitos
and bed bugs.

Support for Science Exploration Day comes from the Niagara
Frontier Science Supervisors Association, the New York Sea Grant,
Western Section of the Science Teachers Association of New York
State, the UB Great Lakes Program and the UB Graduate School of
Education.

All media and visitors should arrive at the lower level of Capen
Hall to contact the committee for further details of program
activities. All sessions and tours are held on the North
Campus.